Court and Police records

Court and police records can be of assistance. They may be the only way to verify the names of individual Indigenous people. During the early periods of white settlement, police officers had the roles of local magistrates, and in some cases were ‘Protectors’ of Aborigines, distributing rations and effecting government policy.

The current addresses of both state and federal courts can be found here.

[For more information about the Protection era, visit our online exhibition]

Where the records are located

Click on the state / territory you wish to see.

NSW / NT / QLD / SA / TAS / VIC / WA

NSW

State Records NSW holds a significant amount of records on the NSW Police Force. See their brief guide.

Specific Guides 

A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Aboriginal People also has chapters listing records relating to:

Police, Courts of Petty Sessions and Supreme Court

Aboriginal Colonial Court Cases, 1788-1838 - There are approximately 250 entries in the index of records held in State Records NSW . The index records persons, whose recorded names suggested Aboriginality and non-European origins, before the Law. It also contains cases of persons charged for crimes against named Aboriginal people and Aboriginal people charged with a crime.

Please Note: Police Service records are Closed for Public Access (CPA) for 30 years from the date of the serviceman’s termination; other records are CPA for 100 years unless otherwise indicated.

To obtain permission to view and copy records that are Closed to Public Access write to:

The Corporate Archivist
NSW Police Service
PO Box 45
SYDNEY NSW 2001

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Northern Territory

In 1911 the Northern Territory and its police came under the control of Commonwealth. The Territory was divided into two zones, North Australia and Central Australia. This division meant that there were two Commissioners of Police - one for the "Territory of the North Australia" and one for the "Territory of Central Australia . In 1931, the two Territories were amalgamated to become the Northern Territory under the authority of a single Police Commissioner.

In 1978 the Territory won Self-Government and gained local control of Northern Territory Police from the Commonwealth.

The Northern Territory Archives Service's Guide to archives relating to Aboriginal people has police and court records listed amongst its holdings of government agencies records.

Queensland

The Queensland State Archives collects public records only, ie., records of State Government departments, State courts, local government authorities, statutory authorities etc. There is a "Search our database" link on their home page that may assist in a search for these records.

In particular there are guides to Police Gazettes, Court Records, Inquest Records and Murder Files. These also give information relating to what court records are held at the Queensland State Archives.

The Queensland Police Museum holds records which date from 1864. They have copies of the Qld Police Gazette 1864-current (open access to 1935), a photographic collection, selected biographies and station histories, the Vedette (an external police publication) as well as other police related magazines. Indigenous information is mainly in the form of material concerning native mounted police, trackers and other general policing associations.

General information is on open access but an appointment should be made. It is preferable to write/fax giving all known details (e.g. names, time and geographical employment).

Enquiries should be directed to the Curator. Copies are supplied digitally.

Information is usually provided between 1-4 weeks. No identification is necessary.

The Queensland Police Museum is open from 9am - 4pm Monday to Friday. Located on the ground floor of: 

Police Headquarters
200 Roma St Brisbane
Ph: 07 3364 6425 Fax: 07 3236 0954

Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

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South Australia

State Records of South Australia  hold the following records:

For further details, see this contact information.

You may also wish to try the South Australia Police Historical Society

Contact details:
Tel: 08 8207 4099
Fax: 08 8207 4011
Staffed on Thursdays ONLY. Messages can be left on answering machine on other days. Research fee applies.

Tasmania

Archives Office of Tasmania - Records of the Supreme Court and the Lower Courts are held in the Archives Office. A complete list of holdings can be found in the Series Titles List, however, it is necessary to know when a person appeared in Court to avoid an extensive search.

Records are held for most Police Stations however it is a matter of chance as to what has survived. Most Stations have for example, crime and occurrence books and charge books for some years and a few have registers of male and female ticket of leave holders residing in the district (eg. New Norfolk Station).

Guides of interest include:

Victoria

Public Record Office - search the database called Archives@Victoria and order records online. The PRO has produced a guide to Prison records

Victoria Police Museum - The holdings of the Historical Unit include records compiled at police stations throughout Victoria, such as watch-house books, occurrence books and other registers, in some cases, from the earliest days of Victoria Police.

The Unit also has a wide variety of journals, log books and other written records relating to most aspects of police work of the past.

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Western Australia

Court Records / Police Records / Prison and Gaol Records

The State Records Office holds the records of the Supreme Court of Western Australia as well as records from over 100 lower courts located throughout the metropolitan and country areas of Western Australia. These include Clerk of Courts, Police Courts, Local Courts, Licensing Courts, Warden's Courts and Coroner's Courts.

The following are selected examples of some of the court records held by the State Records Office which contain information relating to Aboriginal people:
Broome "Native Court", Evidence Book, 1947-1952, Series 564, Consignment 4108
 
Busselton Courthouse, Legal Memoranda, 1830-1834 & 1852-1854, Acc 594, Item 2, AN 17
Includes records of marriage between Aborigines, names of Aborigines on charge and Aborigines serving as constables.
 
Derby Clerk of Courts, Registers - Local Court, Applications for Citizenship Rights, 1946-1959, Series 1103, Consignment 4706
 
Perth Police Magistrate - Shark Bay, Contracts - Aboriginal Pearl Divers, 1875, Acc 3302, Item 1, AN 17
 
Wyndham "Native Court", Evidence Book, 1937-1949, Series 1260, Consignment 4886
For more information on the range of Court records held by the State Records Office please click here.